TNAG-1072-FCO40-1322-Policy-of-the-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-1981 — Page 200

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The UPGC has recommended a total recurrent subvention of $1, 839, 760, 000 for the triennium, but it has noted that this recommendation proposes total funds lower than those requested by the institutions, adjusted to mid-1980 costs for salaries and to mid-1981 costs for non-salary expenditure. UPGC has pointed out, however, that it believes that the institutions are capable of fulfilling properly the programmes envisaged within the funds now proposed.

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The Committee has decided to change its method of distributing funds for equipment because of the increasingly rapid rate of obsolescence of much teaching and research equipment. In general, each institution will receive an annual equipment grant related to its student numbers and mix. It will be for the institution itself to plan the distribution of this grant. Within the equipment grant will be subsumed computer equipment.

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The result of this change in funding methods is that the institutions will receive annually about 20% more money for equipment in real terms than their average expenditure in recent years. However, it must be pointed out that this figure includes funds for academic equipment which was hitherto included in capital costs. Henceforth the UPGC will expect the institutions to plan requirements for academic equipment for new projects from within resources provided through the recurrent grants. Additional capital grants for the purchase of academic equipment for new buildings will only be provided if the development is of major proportion, or in a completely new area.

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The Committee has proposed an earmarked grant of $3, 413,000 for the triennium for English Language Teaching at HKU and CUHK, This will maintain the development of English Language Units at the Schools of Education, for which funds were voted by Finance Committee in July 1979.

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The Committee has also proposed an earmarked grant of $4,626,000 for the triennium for the introduction of part-time degrees at CUHK in Social Work, English and Chine ge, Business Administration and Music. It is envisaged that student numbers should increase to 234 on part- time degree courses at CUHK in 1983 -84.

CONFIDENTIAL

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